In the field of rolling bearing assemblies, it is common to make use of a cage or bearing cage in order to separate rolling elements of a rolling element bearing from each other and control the position of the rolling elements in relation to other components of the rolling element bearing such as raceways. The bearing cage prevents the rolling elements, such as balls, rollers, or tapered rollers, from rubbing against each other, and guides the rolling elements in relation to the rolling bearing raceways in a suitable manner.
In the art, it is known to make use of bearing cages made of sheet metal. An example of a cage for a bearing assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,615. U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,615 discloses a bearing assembly including a cage made of a bent strip of sheet material having abutting ends connected to another.
The added weight to the bearing assembly from the cage increases the overall weight and moment of inertia of the rotating components of the bearing assembly. The cage also impedes the performance of the bearing assembly and increases the cost for handling and manufacturing.
Hence, there is a need for providing a rolling bearing cage assembly allowing for improved performance, reduced manufacturing costs and reduced material costs. In addition, there is a need for providing a method of producing a cage for a rolling bearing assembly in a simple and effective manner.